Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Luis Planas, dismissed the recent debate over labeling products from the Moroccan Sahara “as a political campaign,” saying he was “glad the attempt to block the agreement in the European Parliament had failed.”
Speaking to the Spanish news agency EFE in Istanbul, Planas criticized the objection led by the European People’s Party, which sought to undermine the regulation negotiated with Morocco.
He described the controversy as “a storm in a teacup driven by political motives” and said it did not reflect the reality.
The motion needed 360 votes in favor to pass, but stopped at 359, with 188 votes against and 76 abstentions.
Under that system, fruits and vegetables from the Sahara can be imported with labels referring only to one of the administrative regions defined by Rabat, without stating the country of origin.
Planas also accused Spain’s Popular Party of spearheading a political campaign against an agreement that has been in force since 2000 and updated in 2012, calling their stance “surprising, since the labeling decision does not alter quotas, entry prices, or trade flows.”
He underscored that all agri-food products entering the EU must meet the European Food Safety Authority’s standards, regardless of how their origin is indicated.
The Spanish minister added that misinformation often circulates about these imports, insisting that nothing enters the EU market unless it complies with the rules.
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